The Wedding Dance

Amador Daguio

The story is set in the mountains of the northern Philippines, in a traditional community
unspoiled by outside influence. The story may have happened before or after the Second World
War, one summer night before harvest time.
Awiyao is a strong, muscular, industrious member of the tribe. He’d been married to Lumnay
for seven years yet without children. He loves Lumnay and is a good husband to her, but he is
forced to take another wife as the laws of their society dictate. Lumnay is a tough, graceful woman
who is also an industrious worker. She was a loving wife to Awiyao, but after the failure to give him
an offspring, she has to suffer separation from the love of her life. Madulimay is the woman chosen
to be Awiyao’s new wife. She holds the promise of the continuity of Awiyao’s lineage. So here, we
have a forced love triangle.
On the night of the festivities for his second wedding, Awiyao visits his first wife Lumnay in
the house he built for her. Awiyao is worried that Lumnay is not among the wedding dancers. He
invites her to the dance, but she remains still. He apologizes to her and explains why their situation
had to be this way. It is clear that they understood each other. They do not point fingers or judge
one another.
Awiyao expresses his admiration and love for his wife and his regret for giving in to the
pressure of producing an offspring. He encourages Lumnay to accept another husband. Lumnay,
however, is adamant and stands her ground — she will love only one man. Awiyao promises to
return to her if he fails again for the second time, but Lumnay wishes him and his new wife only
blessings from Kabunyan. She admits to him how difficult the situation is for her.
When Awiyao is called back to the dance, he pauses as if to think over his decision. Lumnay
accepts his invitation to the dance and plucks up her courage to face her tribe, the joys of the past
and the memories of the pain keep bringing her. But then, Lumnay stops to reflect on her fate
questioning why they had to separate and plans to air her dissension to the tribe. However, she
changes her mind and runs away from the ceremony toward the bean fields where she lingers for
a long while to be with the beans.

Guide Questions
1. Is the main character relatable to you?
(Cite some qualities that make you similar or different.)
2. Is the setting effective or useful in making you visualize the scenes?
3. Is the plot interesting? (Cite aspects of the story that make it good or dull.)
4. Is the conflict clear and realistic?
(Indicate if it is something that people are likely to experience in life.)
5. Is the theme relevant to human experiences?